Wows and Scowls
Wow: As of this writing Marc London is still on the air at Cal U’s WVCS Power 92 (91.9 FM). London began his broadcast at 10 a.m. Monday and plans to stay on the air for a Guinness World Record breaker 120 hours.
What began for London as a tribute and way to honor his father and raise awareness for Alzheimer’s disease, turned into a memorial broadcast. Ira T. London, an emeritus professor of psychology at California University of Pennsylvania, died just a few hours before his son reported for the marathon session.
As the hours gruel along, London must grapple with both fatigue and grief. His is truly a labor of love. Regardless of whether he makes it the full 120 hours, and we do hope that he does, our hats are off to you, Mr. London, for a job well done.
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Scowl: So you thought the fat fellow who sued fast-food restaurants for contributing to his obesity and health problems was an anomaly and little more than food for the fodder of late night comedians.
It seems he has set a trend. Lawyers on behalf of New York children who suffer health problems have filed a class-action lawsuit against McDonald’s.
The suit contends that the restaurant chain has created a national epidemic of obese children. There’s little doubt that fast-food chains like McDonald’s peddle the triple crown of highs (cholesterol, fat and calories) but should a restaurant be held liable because parents chose to purchase Happy Meals as a steady diet for their children?
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Scowl: The Greene County Industrial Development Authority shouldn’t be surprised that it has a hefty bond payment due, after all it borrowed $850,000 five years ago to develop the Meadow Ride Industrial Park.
Perhaps the park hasn’t taken off at a pace Greene County had planned as just two companies have located there, and the price per acreage has dropped from $50,000 to $35,000. Even that isn’t enticing firms to clamor to the site off Interstate 79.
The authority failed to earn and set aside money during the past several years to begin paying the principle as well as interest. Now the county, as co-signer, is on the hook for a nearly $200,000 payment due Dec. 1.
The county commissioners most likely will authorize the payment to keep from defaulting and lowering its bond rating. After that action, the commissioners should then work with the authority in developing an intensive marketing strategy to get the park filled and start earning money to repay the balance.
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Wow: Connellsville City Council is seeing the wisdom in having all available information on its tax system before acting.
Council plans a Dec. 4 informational meeting for business owners and residents to hear what the county chief assessor has to say on both the current dual system that imposes a higher rate on land and a lower rate on buildings versus the traditional one-millage rate fits all that other municipalities use.
Business owners have asked council to abolish the two-tier system as it imposes an undue hardship, especially on parking lots. But others might end up paying higher bills with a switch.
Council says it wants to know all the implications before acting, which is the wisest course.
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Scowl: We recognize that geography rarely is mentioned in a list of students’ favorite subjects, but that is no excuse for not knowing where in the world one would find the United States.
According to an Associated Press story, just 89 percent of 300 young Americans (ages 18 to 24) could locate their own country when shown a blank world map. Knowledge of other countries’ locations was as suspected even more dismal. But don’t under estimate the power of TV as the nation’s teacher: Some 34 percent knew that the island used on last season’s “Survivor” was located in the South Pacific. Contrast that with just 30 percent who knew where to find New Jersey.
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Scowl: Imagine your local police department cruising around town with signboards promoting a donut chain. It’s not so far fetched.
About two months ago a Charlotte, N.C., company began placing ads for police cruisers and about 20 small, financially-strapped towns have signed on. In an era where public schools bargain with soda manufacturers for rights to stock vending machines and require students to sit through morning commercials via “free’ television, and public agencies barter with big business to sell naming rights to stadiums, turning cops into billboards isn’t that big of a stretch. But it shouldn’t be done.
Police must remain impartial and not be seen pandering to or supporting any commercial enterprises. Nor should marked cars be plastered with signs that confuse drivers who police are attempting to pull over.
With periodic reports of law-enforcement impersonators stalking women on the highways, the last thing that is needed is more confusion in how to identify a legitimate police vehicle.